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Bride and Beautiful - featuring Flamingo Bridal
Her minimalist personal style, however, has not stopped brides-to-be from flocking to her shop, Flamingo Bridal, which she set up in 1997. She says, "On busy days, I see a client every hour; I will clock as many as 15 working hours a day, but that is a good problem." Meeting customers is the easier part of Shirley's job, since she has a couple of assistants to help tend to enquiries throughout the day. But being the only designer at the shop means she spends most of her day concocting creations for different women, each with her own body shape and fashion style. "Obviously there are high expectations," reveals Shirley, "because everyone wants to look like a princess on her big day. In fact, many Singapore brides opt for the soft and elegant look." Shirley's background in fashion allows her to incorporate and experiment with elements from international runways. She admits that many local ladies still steer towards the conventional like the bustier. On the other hand, several had so much faith in her, they gave the go-ahead for her seemingly avant-garde creations. For one delighted bride, she designed an Elizabethan-inspired jacket to spruce up her bustier gown. The jacket was originally made of white denim, but Shirley turned up the collars and replaced its long sleeves with silk organza and crochet lace. For another, she created a vintage-style gown with lace and tie-dye.
Usually, Shirley gets the brides to try out a few basic cuts such as the princess and A-line. This allows her to determine their physical strengths and weaknesses, as well as to give them a feel of the basic styles. "Local girls are more concerned with their hips and tummies, so they end up with the Circular and A-line cuts," she discloses. According to Shirley, those on the petite side should opt for an Empire waist with embroidery and lace all over the chest area, while plus-sized women will look better in a straight-cut gown with minimal detailing. "Don't rush into deciding on a gown," she advises. "It takes more patience and effort. You need to feel genuinely confident about yourself to look good in it. If you really can't decide, give yourself up to the third visit."
Flamingo Bridal is at 32 Wallich Street #01-57 Wallich Building. For appointments, call 6226-2728. Please visit their website at http://www.flamingobridal.com |
For her own wedding in 1996, Shirley Li made herself an A-line spaghetti-strapped dress from Duchess satin. "I wanted something simple," laughs the La Salle fashion studies graduate-turned-bridal gown designer.
She cites communication between bride and designer as key to the creation process. So, besides understanding the physical attributes such as body shape, she tries to find out the bride's impression of her dream gown. Says Shirley, "I've met brides who told me they want a simple gown. But they also want a lot of details! So it is important to agree on important issues like these. Otherwise, there will be a lot of undoing and doing later on, and time will be wasted."
At the end of the day, brides must also do their homework. It helps if you have decided on a theme or concept of your desired gown. Offers Shirley, "Ask yourself questions like these: are you into embroidery? Do you prefer bustiers? Would you like a flowy gown with organza, or a slim-fitting mermaid silhouette?"